Apparatus for communication with article having a wireless tag

Abstract

An apparatus according to an aspect of the invention includes: a first table and a second table on which an article with an RFID tag may be placed; a retaining mechanism for selectively retaining the first table and the second table in a state in which the second table is placed on the first table and in a state in which the first table and the second table are apart from each other vertically by a specified distance; a first article detector and a second article detector disposed on the upper surface of the first table and the upper surface of the second table, respectively, for detecting that the article has been placed; and an antenna communicating with the RFID tag, with the directivity aimed upward when the second article detector has detected the article, and with the directivity aimed downward when the first article detector has detected the article.

1. An apparatus for communicating with an article, the article having a radio-frequency-identification (RFID) tag, the apparatus comprising:
 a first table and a second table on which an article with an RFID tag may be placed; 
 a retaining mechanism for selectively retaining the first table and the second table in a state in which the second table is placed on the first table and in a state in which the first table and the second table are apart from each other vertically by a specified distance; 
 a first article detector and a second article detector disposed on the upper surface of the first table and the upper surface of the second table, respectively, for detecting that the article has been placed; and 
 an antenna communicating with the RFID tag, with the directivity aimed upward when the second article detector has detected the article, and with the directivity aimed downward when the first article detector has detected the article. 
 
   
   
     2. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the antenna is a patch antenna. 
   
   
     3. The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the retaining mechanism is disposed on the side of the first table and on the side of the second table, the retaining mechanism having two rod members and a shaft that supports the rod members at the end of each of the rod members. 
   
   
     4. The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the antenna is disposed on the lower surface of the second table. 
   
   
     5. The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the first article detector and the second article detector are pressure sensors that detect the article with pressure applied. 
   
   
     6. The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the first article detector and the second article detector are optical sensors that detect the article optically. 
   
   
     7. An apparatus for communication with an article, the article having an RFID tag, the apparatus comprising:
 a first table and a second table on which an article with an RFID tag may be placed; 
 a retaining mechanism for selectively retaining the first table and the second table in a state in which the second table is placed on the first table and in a state in which the first table and the second table are apart from each other vertically by a specified distance; 
 a first article detector and a second article detector disposed on the upper surface of the first table and the upper surface of the second table, respectively, for detecting that the article has been placed; 
 an antenna communicating with the RFID tag; and 
 a directivity switching section that aims the directivity of the antenna upward when an article has been detected by the second article detector, and aims the directivity downward when an article has been detected by the first article detector. 
 
   
   
     8. The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the antenna is a patch antenna. 
   
   
     9. The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the retaining mechanism is disposed on the side of the first table and on the side of the second table, the retaining mechanism having two rod members and a shaft that supports the rod members at the end of each of the rod members. 
   
   
     10. The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the antenna is disposed on the lower surface of the second table. 
   
   
     11. The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the first article detector and the second article detector are pressure sensors that detect the article with pressure applied. 
   
   
     12. The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the first article detector and the second article detector are optical sensors that detect the article optically.